Kugel Hernia Mesh Lawsuit Settlements Reported

At least five Kugel hernia mesh lawsuits have settled according to a report by Lawyers USA, including the case that was scheduled to be the first trial out of more that 2,000 product liability lawsuits pending against the manufacturers of the Kugel patch.

Three separate Kugel hernia mesh recalls were issued between 2005 and 2007 for different sizes and models of the patch, due to problems with a plastic ring inside the patch which can break, resulting in injuries like bowel perforation, chronic intestinal fistula and additional surgery to remove the mesh. The litigation also involves non-recalled hernia patches that used a similar dual-mesh technology.

In July 2009, Chief Judge Mary M. Lisi of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, who is presiding over the Kugel mesh lawsuits that are consolidated as part of an MDL (or Multidistrict Litigation), indicated that the first of four “bellwether” Kugel hernia mesh trials would begin in March 2010. However, Lawyers USA reports that the case has settled for a confidential amount together with four other cases, including one lawsuit pending in state court.

Although all federal Kugel hernia patch suits have been consolidated in federal court for pretrial proceedings, they remain individual claims that are each to be judged on their own merits. Therefore, the remaining cases are continuing to proceed and Kugel mesh lawyers anticipate that additional settlements likely will be reached.

76 comments

my life has been destroyed i could sit in a corner and feel sory for myself and sry all day but i refuse to go there i had a large pice of krugel mesh placeed in my stomach i had had two previous surgerys one 18 inches of my stomach died and i woke up in the hospital 30 days almost latter with a colostomy bag thank god they were able to reconect my bowels and remove the bag i then herniadet my stomach i could see three large lumps about tge size of tennis balls in my stomach then my gastoligist sent me to a surgen where i was told my stamach had herriated and that i would have to be sliced from top to bottom to repair the herni this was my third slice and each time i was hospitalized this surgon placed this mesh in overnigh surgery 24 hours there was no way i could take care of myself i told him something wasnt right and he asked if id had adominal surgery before i was to week to even respond you would have thought he would of reaad my medical history or at least see the scare running down my entire stomach i hate hospitals but i begged this doctor to let me stay he told me to go home there were to many germs in the hospital and made me go home to week to dress i was just going to ware my buttless gown home and had to allmost fight to were it home and the pain so great i coould not explain i llitterly could not get dresses about a monyh after this ihqd had several post opp apointments and during this time sdevral months or weeks hard to remember you could see an l shaped bluging in my stomach i went back to the surgen and he rose his voice when i first went in and he pretty much yelled his surgries never went wrong sent me for xrays or mri i dont remember and at my followup appointment wher he told me the mesh was comming loose but that it would bt dangerous to try and remove it but i could get a second appiniionand shrtly after ii recived the gasoligist stating because of personalith conflik that i had 30 days to find a new doctor i was in so much pain doctores thought i was just seekin drugs i suffer from a laundry list of other medical problems ihave be told i have white cote syedrome symdrom and or post tramic no one would help me i resorted to taking a friend with me to doctor appointmens i would tell them somthing wasnt right i felt like somthing was wrong yhat i felt like i was dteing during this time i had to strain when i went to the restroom which can not be removed brcaue of varid medical probles i am on blood thinres and my retum bleeds and the paic of not brin ablr to stop dependingn on the day sometimes my rectom feess like a head of culofllor and hurts so badd i hve to sidts bath or lay in bed on my belly i went to a new gastrlogist that exsamned me and her report stated i had no hernia although i had to wear materiyn clothse my family doctor went as far as to ask me when i was due finialy a friend s daughter worked at a hosspiyal and tlod a doctor of my delimia a mri was ordered and they discovered my intire stomach had herniated a very larg piece of the mesh in the patoligy reprt stated the size of a graitfruitconsisting of mesh and infection something went wrong and was in a coma that was so disturbing and real that i could pass a poligraft test my family suffered agin not knowing if i would live or die teh surgan tried to reconect my syomach mucels that held for a while his cut to do the percedure looks like an upside down and i dont have a belly button i am almost poiyive that i have reheriated and am trrified to even mak an appoinment to see at the hospital the surgan said that he had to leave about six inches because it was so intwisted and that he had had nicked my colon several times during the proceedure but was able to repair them the at my post op he had ordered n mri but couldnt find it since i had had the procedure i asked if the mesh he had to leave in might be the source of the pain and he insisted it was all rmoved yet my family was told differently after the surgery i have terrible like charlie horses that are so intense they litterly paralize me and scare me to deayh i caint stand to look at my body no belly button and scares like the bride of frankinstine it destroys your womanhood to look in the mirror and be ashamed there are so many things i can no longer do becaue of the lack of the mucels and lets not forget the recoperation ohhhhhhhhhh how horribel by the fhird surgery i had my husband install a bar i could grip tp help get out of bed as he had to help kift my legs for me ti lay down and the thers tge bills even if your insured your still strapped with bill after bill the pain and life changes worry and fear we have all expereance or are still experiancing and the tormole emoyional financial strain our entire families endured during our surgeries

Well I spoke with my attorney Monday , yes the cases are settled but……………..My Lawyers firm is waiting for a s pecial Master to over each case by itself in that firm alone was a 165 plus mine she said nothing would be dispursed until at least 6 months. I hope this finds everyone well, and I wish the best for everyone due to my surgery and have another surgery again for Nov 18th I have had no income andSSI Disabilty is a joke they take there good oldtime, Iam in Foreclosure, Ihave lived in my home for 15 years and Never thought something like this would happen, and NO ONE will help I have tryed everything, funds are gone, our I hear we dont fit in that budget. Again I wish everyone well and thee best. Christine

Got settlement info today! Don’t smile so fast tho my mother had that stuff in her for 3 years and when they went back in to take it out they couldn’t get it all so everyyear she loses more of her stomach almost died from infection multiple time it’s so bad to the point her dr. Won’t even look at here in the face but what does she get 1200 bucks!! 1200 bucks for losing 3 years off her life and losing all her woman parts! What a smack in the face!!

my brother had the same things happen to him, he has a lawyer on his case, today he got an offer in the mail, hold ur breath, they offered him 2500.00 said nothing about paying his medical bills, of over 70,000 nothing for the 30 days he spent in the hospital, after they took it out, and nothing for the future hernias he has to have fixed, which he now has three big hernias just bulging out of his stomach,.. justice will not be severed here, to the patients, they are going to keep these settlements so low, and stretch them out for so long that most of the patients die off, it is a sad very sad, world we live in, they will protect their own, and to hell with the people they hurt, on another note, i believe they have the cure for cancer to, but its a billion dollar industry, do you think they are going to give that money up,

I had two large meshes installed years ago. Now they cause alot of pain. I need to have them removed or fixed. I have an attorney already,but what is the average payout for these law suits? I’ll settle for sure but I’m curious about the number.

Everyone that is sharing the pain & suffering here due to this mesh that has ruined our lives family lives with burdens of seeing & hearing us suffering . I have 3 peices of mesh inside me had complete resection after doctor went in to see what was happening to me why so much pain & bowel problems,almost died ended with MRSA also .The courts & attorneys handling the cases are the ones filling pockets with monies set aside , I seen where one was offered 2,500 one was offered 1,200 that dont cover even 1 test or test needed be done what do they think we are here , Does anyone know a way we may stand together & force them to take the people to stand together get them stopped make them help us get help .
I know all I do anymore is cry , cant do what I used to get cranky & hurt family of what ya say not meaning too but it happens , I was told cant remove it it is gonna kill you eventually I feel as if it is getting close Bp uncontrolabe ,bowel,kidney ,baldder problems stomach bloated looks like a large arrow from all the surgeries ,
does anyone know how to start a email letter singing it stand us all together get media involved something Help us someone

am another victim of Kugel mesh. and yes years of pain and misery 2003 hernia patch installed. 1 yr later I started getting real sick in bed weeks at a time, vomitting, can’t move just sick, and this went on and on for the next yrs. until may 2010 i finally got so sick that after 1wk of vomit and smelling so bad, like bowe. i went in er had emerency surgury had part of my intestine removed and almost died, in hospital for 12 days. in this journey i’ve lost 2 jobs and all my bills turned off. it’s been a nightmare. anyway. i finally did get better return back to work, I have to am a single mom with no help at all. ended up with another hernia and had surgery just in dec 12. the Dr. was really good. he has the nurses call to make sure everything is good still. but Now am waiting for this lawsuit. it’s all about were still talking, if they are so guilty of this product then why can’t they just pay us off, get it over with, with this economy they just wait, maybe they should put themselves in our shoes it’s not a pretty picture.I still have problems. I want to live and enjoy my life not suffer anymore, physically or mentally. thanks for your time

HELL EVEN WHEN THEY SETTLE THE COURT IS TAKING ANOTHER YEAR TO PAY IT OUT IF THEY EVER DO. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS . I WILL BE DEAD BEFORE I SEETHE MONEY THEY SAY WAS SET ASIDE FOR THE SETTLEMENT

Had colon cancer in 2001 and had to get a hernia repair in 2005. Had two Kugel meshs put inside of me and have had pain since. Doctor said it would be dangerous to be removed. So I’ve lived with the pain. Lawyers contacted me and told me I had a class action lawsuit. What is going on with all of us? Why is it taking so long? Called the lawyers today and they told me it goes to court in Feb. 2013, but he thought it would be settled before then. Has anyone else heard this? We need to all get together and do something about this. How can we contact each other. Maybe on Facebook?

Maybe start a petition through Change.org. I am not sure who would have the knowledge to form the petition. There a 1,000s of victims with various bad outcomes from the mesh, but the petition would have to be informative, concise and have clear objectives.

i feel all you going through alot with the mesh deal almost died very ill have been since this all started 2009 i cant believe the abuse ive gone through with the clinics and hosp. the pain and fevers is to much to bare cause the infection runs rampid .pray the good lord bringsjustice for us all my surgion lost HIS LICENSE3 months ago thats one good thing

I had the small kugel mesh placed inside my abdomen in 2002. I have had pain ever since and I can’t hold a job at this point. Since its the small oval mesh patch the lawyers don’t give a damn about me. I go to the Emergency Room 2 times a year. My doctor has me on HydroMorphone and Lorazepam, to cover the pain. I just keep getting worse. I weighed 155 in 2002 at the age of 15. Now I am 26 and am 130 pounds. It is everyone of the Kugel Meshes from that time period, small to large. I feel like I am poisoned everyday of my life with this patch in me. I had 3 surgeons tell me they won’t take it out.

I had a abdominal hernia repair (the size of a volleyball) in 2006.
In 2009 I decided to have a gastric by-pass (to stop my bad diabetes…it worked), when they got the scope inside they were stunned to find that my intestines and bowels had become stuck to the huge piece of mesh and the mesh had grown into all of this. They took pictures and told my husband they had never seen anything like this. The procedure normally just takes 2-3 hours….7 hours later. That is how long it took them to scrap loose enough bowels to just do the surgery. Now I know why I get so sick, nauseated, and faint suddenly when my waste is trying to move thru my intestines and bowels. I was told I don’t have the “ring” type mesh and that is good but what about the manufacturers standing behind their product. It has glue on it so it will stay in place….did they consider wet tissue would start growing to it if it is stuck in place…..did they run experiments to see what growth affects it might have. Now, like thousands of others I also suffer the rest of my life. My surgeon told me since I have had MRSA (the worst staph known to man), that I could never be opened up all the way ever because if infection got into the mesh there is no way to rid the mesh of it and I would die. If I am ever in an accident with internal injuries, torn intestines, bowels if they tried to fix me to keep me alive I would have a colostomy bag, a bladder bag outside my body to hold my urine and that is just if I don’t get an infection and die. Do you think I have a case or would a lawyer run from this? I can’t imagine the medical cost if this kind of disaster happened. How would I live, pay for anything….I am just 48. There would be know way to work…no one would hire me. I am thinking ahead in case this would happen. Any advice would be appreciated.

very sad to hear but it alway true i had my hernia surgery in 2009 at first it was going good for a while until i started feeling numb all of the time in my thigh , sex forget it for now i try the pain is hard to take so i just dont ,everying day & night numbness some time both never a good day. if there a suit let me in this pain have to stop and no amount of money can replace what we lost — no life thank you for reading derrick

I had many hernia surgeries since 1995..The first time the Dr.didn’t use Mesh but tried to fix the problem by tying it up around my muscles..That didn’t last..I later had to have Mesh to repair the Hernia.That also failed after another surgery (Gallbladder) caused the Dr to make a small cut through the Mesh.( The last surgery,they removed my belly button or closed it off) .That just caused the Mesh to weaken.In 2005,another surgery to repair the Hernia (now the size of a large baking potato and causing pain and issues with my bowels,.When the Dr opened me up,she discovered the Mesh was wrapped around my organs..After she removed the staples from surgery..I went home that evening and the incision had opened up..I went to the ER and they wouldn’t treat me because I needed to see the Dr that did my surgery.The next day,I did see her,she packed it with gauze and left it open to heal on its own.I was not allowed out except to see her once a week for fear of a staph infection.This took several weeks to close.To this day,I still am numb and suffer with pain.Am I able to file under the Class A lawsuit?

I had hernia repair surgery in Oct 2010, afterwards I had a lot of pain in that area, everytime I went back to the surgeon he said that it was normal, or all in my head. In Feb, 2012 I had gastric bypass surgery. The surgeon ran into so much mesh wraped around my intestines and colon that he could not fix it. I had to be referred to someone with more experience with abdominal surgery. The new surgeion opened me up, after more drains and MRI’s than I can count. There was such a mess inside me that I swelled to the point of not being able to close the incision. I became septic, and develepted a fistula. I could actually see my intestines. To make a very long story short, after over 60 days in the hospital, at least 8 surgeries, and my husband being told to start planning my funeral, I am finally better. I can never lift anything over 10 lbs for fear of another hernia. I have been off work for over a year, Our house is in danger of forclosure. I have hired an attorney, and my case has been filed. After reading the earlier posts, I am very discouraged. All I can say for sure is that I am thankful that I decided to have the gastric bypass surgery, I was told that if they had not found the problem during surgery, I would have died at home. Good luck to us all, I pray that we will all see financial relief in our lifetimes.

back in 2005 or 2006 – i had a hernia repair on the right side groin then last year i had it removed and replaced im still having problems with it its hard for me to do anything im working on to get my records my first surgery was at ingalls hosp in harvey ill the replacement was at carbondale hosp in southern ill i dont know what to do can u please help im sick and tired of being in pain none of the docters dont want to help me they always push me away please i would like to do something about this thank you u can call me at 1618-727-1062 or email me

I had hernia repair surgery in 2006. The pain started about 5 – 6 months after. Went back to my surgeon, he said that I shouldn\\\’t be in any pain and scheduled a CT Scan – which found nothing. More years go by and the pain intensified, was told the pain was all In my head – yeah, right. I know my body better than that! Fast-forward to September 2010 – little bulge on my abdomen (on old surgery scar). Go to General Physician – treats it w/multiple antibiotics which never worked. Bulge explodes with pus and blood. Told I have cellulitis – bull! Develop another bulge below original spot, go to different doctor, he lances it and extracts fluid, tells me it doesn\\\’t tract down very far. Wrong! Mesh has slipped and is coming through my skin. Diagnosed with two enterocutaneous fistulas and I have to wear a colostomy bag to contain the liquid waste. Now, after a year of having the mesh working its way out of my gut, it is finally all out, in one piece, no surgery required, it came out on its own. Have a lawsuit pending hoping to hear something from my attorneys soon.

Get mesh removed at NO Insurance Surgery out of Vegas…..I just went last week….I feel better already…even though I\\\’m still recovering…Dr. Peterson will do the job right…..all other Dr.s wanted to give me shot\\\’s for the pain I was having…..Now the sharp pain is gone and it hasn\\\’t even been a week….the mesh was a mess and my body was rejecting it……..and get this…..Dr said I never had a hernia. All this pain for months for nothing

I had the surgery with the recalled patch in early 2004, and it resulted in pain, many trips to the Gastro Dr, and a mass the size of a grapefruit. My lawyer was out of NC, but handed to a firm in Kasas City, MO. I don\\\’t trust them for anything! It\\\’s been 6 going on 7yrs since I signed the contract, and nothing! I did my research, and found that the settlements are finalized, but I haven\\\’t heard from them! That was over a yr ago. I emailed my local attorney,and told him that I\\\’m about to have the firm in KC, MO investigated!

February of 1986 .was taken to the hospital for gout .ending up with most of my stomach being caught up .covering my stomach up with a plastic mass .which looks like a big honey .looks like a big bubble on my stomach .can anything be done about it .

I had 2 kugel mesh implants. They tell me the statue of limitations is over. I am looking for a lawyer who can help.
Kugel new they were defective, never contacted me, or the doctor.
Kugel should pay for the damages, also I don’t have any insurance for 2 more operations.
Please help

In 2011, i had hernia surgery (the dr. thought it was i),but turned out 3 Compacted) Itwas a very painful surgery,and was in the hospital over a week….I did not have any problems,but 4 years later,I developed 2 more hernias,and found a doctor that said he was 75% sure he could do it laproscopily.,and would probably be in hospital overnight….Since the laproscopic procedure did not work,he had to cut me again,in same place I had surgery before.,so I had 4 additional small cuts,with 2 drain tubes,which was VERY PAINFUL) The doctor used staples,which after a week home,I woke up to a lg soaking place on my mattress…The staples had come loose,and started draining…After panicking,the next day I went back to the doctor,and he used stitches…. A couple days later,the stitches came loose…I had to leave the wound open,and put dressing ,and bandadges every day….I had to have a nurse come 2-3 times a week..The doctor then decided a wound vac might help,so I was on wound vac nearly 3 months.It doesn’t drain anymore,but I still have a nasty scar,that has not completely closed up,but leaves a large scar where my belly button used to be…I am on blood thinner,and I als have type 2 diabetes…(which I am aware it takes longer to heal…….I also have a large lump(size of a grapefruit)above the scar,whichpokes out,and I have to wear a binder most of the time.I do have some pain sometimes,but now my primary physician says my white blood count has jumped high,and after aCT scan,and nucleur CT scan ,and lots of blood work,they still cannot find the cause…..I also went to a specialist(blood doctor0and still no one knows ……I am so frustrated about all this,and most of it has been since my last hernia surgery(which was in september of 2014)I would like to know if there is anything I can do about this…I just want my LIFE back

FOR RANDY
I’m sorry to hear about this business……I’ve been in medicine for 30 years.
First, whoever the doctors are…they are possibly afraid to be dragged into a
lawsuit even though it has nothing to do with them.
Randy, you need to find a physician who will help you and STOP trying to
get help from the others.
Not knowing docs in your area, I can’t refer you to anyone but if you stick
with this you WILL find someone to help you.